This invention relates to storage bins for office wall partitions and, more particularly, to a storage bin configuration for use on both sides of a office wall partition in a modular office furniture system.
Office furniture partitions are known which comprise modular partitions joined end-to-end. Each partition typically comprises a rectangular frame with vertical posts and horizontal beams to which cladding such as a plurality of modular covers are removably coupled. Examples of such partitions include U.S. Pat. No. 5,406,760 to Edwards, issued Apr. 11, 1995; U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,255 to Kelley, issued Aug. 11, 1987; U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,246 to Hodges et al, issued Jan. 30, 1996, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,535,577 to Tenser et al, issued Aug. 20, 1985, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Such partitions are known for use with associated office furniture including, for example, hanging cabinets which are hung on the front of the partition. Such hanging cabinets have the disadvantage that they extend a substantial extent in front of the partition and typically require lighting under the cabinet. The cabinet impedes a user""s ability to use the workplace and are relatively expensive.
Overhead cabinets have doors which typically hinge outwardly and require additional space and provide interference with use of the cabinet and the workspace. Sliding doors are known to close cabinets, closets and the like in which two sliding doors are provided, however, such double sliding door configurations have the disadvantage that, at all times, at least one of the doors covers half of the opening.
To at least partially overcome these disadvantages, the present invention provides two adjacent, separated compartments extending through an office partition with a first compartment open to a first side of the partition only and another, second compartment open to a second side of the partition only, and with one sliding door on each side of the partition to close the compartment opening on that side and when open, to lie over a blind, closed rear end of the adjacent compartment. The straddle bin provides separate, private compartments for users on both sides of the partition.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved overhead compartment or bin which permits use of the interior space in a partition for storage.
Another object is to provide an individual, private storage compartment to users on both sides of an office partition.
Another object is to provide a storage compartment with a sliding door which slides entirely out of the way to access a storage compartment.
Accordingly, the present invention in one of its aspects provides a modular office furniture system comprising:
an upright partition having a first side and a second side,
the partition comprising a supporting framework formed of vertically spaced horizontal beams and horizontally spaced vertical posts defining at least one rectangular internal opening therebetween through the framework from one side of the framework to the other side,
the partition having cladding on both sides of the framework to cover portions of the framework on each side of the partition,
a storage element mounted to the framework within the rectangular opening extending to each side beyond the cladding on that side,
the storage element having a horizontal top wall, a horizontal bottom wall spaced vertically from the top wall, a vertical first end wall extending between the top wall and the bottom wall at a first end of the storage element and a vertical second end wall extending between the top wall and the bottom wall at a second end of the storage element parallel to the first end wall,
a vertical dividing wall intermediate the first end wall and the second end wall parallel to the first end wall,
a vertical first side wall at the second side of the partition spanning from the first end wall to the dividing wall between the top wall and the bottom wall,
a vertical second side wall at the first side of the partition spanning from the second end wall to the dividing wall between the top wall and the bottom wall,
a first storage compartment enclosed on five sides by the top wall, bottom wall, first end wall, dividing wall and first side wall and having a first access opening open on the first side of the partition spanning from the first end wall to the dividing wall between the top wall and the bottom wall,
a second storage compartment enclosed on five sides by the top wall, bottom wall, second end wall, dividing wall and second side wall and having a second access opening open on the second side of the partition spanning from the second end wall to the dividing wall between the top wall and the bottom wall,
a first door on the first side of the partition slidably mounted for linear sliding between a closed position in which the first door closes the first access opening and an open position in which the first door overlies the second side wall and does not cover the first access opening to the first storage compartment,
a second door on the second side of the partition slidably mounted for linear sliding between a closed position in which the second door closes the second access opening and an open position in which the second door overlies the first side wall and does not cover the second access opening to the second storage compartment.